Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

[Artie]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

The other thing is that women seems to actually listen to the lyrics more often . . .

This is SO true. I can actually recall, from a party that was 30-something years ago, these two girls commenting on a Miami Sound Machine song that was playing. They didn't like that Gloria Estefan was saying, in one part of the song, they "she" doesn't know you like I do, and then shortly later says something like, I don't know you anymore. I realized at that moment that they were actually listening to the words, and they better have made sense.

These are all great comments, but they're probably all or nearly all coming from men (please correct me if I'm wrong about that).

I was wondering this same thing. Don't we have some female members here? I understand, however, that some may not want to identify themselves as such.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

Whilst there are certainly biological differences between men and women, I don't think you can narrow it down to saying "That's why guys like guitars, cars and films with lots of explosions... and women like dressing up, playing violin, and rom coms".

It's more to do with socialisation than with biology, IMO.

And you might think that the 'I just let my daughters do whatever they want...' solves the problem. It doesn't. You will notice as they get older that they will (more likely than not) tend to want things that are traditionally associated with the feminine and they will not want things traditionally associated with the masculine. This is because, from a very young age, the people around them teach them that some things are for boys and some things are for girls... and even with the best meaning parents in the world, you can't stop this happen at school/amongst friends/on TV/advertising/etc. Supporting whatever they choose to do is certainly the right thing to do, and is good parenting, but nonetheless your daughters will be less likely than your sons to do things traditionally considered masculine.

We all know that women are under-represented in the technology industry, for example. This is not because of some biological difference. It's not 'it is what it is'. I'm not suggesting social engineering. I'm not suggesting we sponsor women to learn guitar or hand out free products to encourage them (and I'm against the sponsorship of women in IT, too). Just remove some of the barriers.

People here seem to be posting that 'guitar is just a mans thing... y'know?'. An electric guitar is just a piece of wood with some strings and electronics, and men/women are just a mass of organic matter... any other values are imposed upon those things by society.

LOL... you would HAVE to know my daughters to really make that determination. The younger one (14) is all girl. While the older one (16) is more guy than girl, in terms of her mannerisms, her preferences for things, etc. She melts over certain boys/guys... but she's not the most feminine of females. NONE of this has anything to do with how they were raised. They were both raised the same and could not be more different (except their love of music and being goofy).

This whole nature vs. nurture debate isn't going to be finished here (or anywhere else). I just believe, based on my 47 years of observation on this earth, that nurture is NOT the final answer. Nature is more powerful than many are giving it credit for being.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I think the general attitude toward women in music is pretty much demonstrated in this thread. No wonder why women guitarists don't stay on the forum.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

Being moms, nurses, and teachers are the things most females are interested in. Most really don't care much about cars or electric guitars, like males do. That's just the way it is.

And I agree with this; however, I don't see that being the all their are interested in now. I think there has been a change and while a lot of women still want to be a mom they also want a career...but that is coming from a guy's perspective.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

Jenny Lewis comes to mind. She is a pretty good singer/songwriter and early in her career she played electric guitar and bass. Now she primarily plays acoustic though. She has a song about women just trying to be one of the guys too, so it's definitely an issue with women I think. Still, if they have the interest they will do it if their surroundings allow an opportunity but as far as creating an atmosphere that encourages them to try/want to do it I think having some more role model female musicians would help.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I think the general attitude toward women in music is pretty much demonstrated in this thread. No wonder why women guitarists don't stay on the forum.

Yes.


There are deep rooted and pervasive social reasons for gender related differences. Things have changed somewhat over the past 20-30 years, but they are changing slowly.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I wish we had some female forum members we could hear from.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I think the general attitude toward women in music is pretty much demonstrated in this thread. No wonder why women guitarists don't stay on the forum.

:lame:

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

As with any musical instrument, you have to be interested/motivated, have access to said instrument and, eventually, find like-minded persons with whom to collaborate.

Jessie. I saw what you did there. Nice irony.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

Like Little Pigbacon has stated and given several examples of: I think it's a problem when we start comparing things as male/female because we start categorizing and stereotyping them as groups. It's just not that simple. Not every female on the planet fits into this mold that we as male guitarists/salesmen/businessmen etc. make it seem; not even close! Just like not all of us males are the same. We all are completely different human beings and what one of us likes another one of us hates. I agree with Pigbacon, it would be nice to get opinions from females when it comes to this topic. They do not even have to be players, just tell us why they would want to play or reasons why they would not want to as well as their thoughts concerning what influenced/influences those decisions.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

When I was in my BA I've done one course on gender. The essay I've submitted was about 'why there is such a limited representation of women in the Rolling Stone top 500 albums list'. The main article I found about it was asking why there is no Erica Clatpon. It took me a while to search Google and I'm pretty certain it was: "Women and the Electric Guitar" by Mavis Bayton, from 1997. So it might be a good read?

Not too long ago I read a Facebook post by a female musician complaining that the way she is treated by male musicians are condescending in some cases... 'in the little things'. The best example I remember is a tech offering her help to tune her guitar...

So yes - there are some old perceptions in the general public and even in the smaller group of musicians that deter women from advancing. I'm not sure how much you can change in the musical industry without changing society but musicians were always the ones to be ahead of their time. And to be honest - among the new big names you'll find Joanna Shaw Taylor, Orianthi, Samantha Fish, Ana Popovic, etc... rock is not in the mainstream media anymore but if you want to promote female musicians - I think that good role models might be the place to start...

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I think it simply comes down to our society continuing to unofficially enforce conformity to "gender-appropriate" behavior and roles. We are an extremely sexist and terribly conformist society, even more so than we are racist, or any other "ist."

 

[Texas Slim]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

It's simple-
We play guitar hoping to get noticed.
They have boobs, therefore, no need for a guitar.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I think the general attitude toward women in music is pretty much demonstrated in this thread. No wonder why women guitarists don't stay on the forum.

As far as this forum goes, I agree. There are some cool comments on this subject today, yet there are also the boobs comments, which, both here and in the off topic area, are all too often.

I mean, I was 16 years old once too, but, jaysus...get a grip.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

We ... They

Divisive talk, already.

Should I be categorised as "we" or "they"? At the very least, I think that I ought to be asked before I am lumped into some arbitrary category of anyone else's making.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

It's simple-
We play guitar hoping to get noticed.
They have boobs, therefore, no need for a guitar.

Hmmm... so what you're saying is that society should change the incentives it gives to men and women, right?

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

A fave band of mine...

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

One more...

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I think the problem is that children are told right from the beginning that certain things are for boys and others for girls. Somehow my four-year-old go that idea. The wife and I had to suit him down and explain that boys and girls can do whatever they want since there's no such things as stuff for boys and stuff for girls.

I think it goes the other way, too. Like boys who play with dolls are ostracized. Boys eventually grow into men and may possibly become fathers. Fathers will hold and care for their children like kids do with dolls.

Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Why Aren't there More Female Guitar Players, Especially Electric?

I think the problem is that children are told right from the beginning that certain things are for boys and others for girls. Somehow my four-year-old go that idea. The wife and I had to suit him down and explain that boys and girls can do whatever they want since there's no such things as stuff for boys and stuff for girls.

I think it goes the other way, too. Like boys who play with dolls are ostracized. Boys eventually grow into men and may possibly become fathers. Fathers will hold and care for their children like kids do with dolls.

Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk

Yep. Basically what I was trying to say. When I say "society," I mean "parents." And changing it involves living the change for your kids, not just speaking it to them. People pay attention to actions, not words...especially kids, who IMO are far more sensitive, in-tune to the behaviors of others, and impressionable than older people.